Stiffening device.



1%. 894,209. PATENTED JULY 28, 1908 W. W. JOHNSON. STIFFENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3. 1907. RENEWED FEB. 17; 1908.

,\ Ill/III! oeaooopogoog WITNESSES: "WEI/TOR I TTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM w. JOHNSON, or MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA S'IIFFENING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters lfatent. Application filed-January 3, 1907,8erial No. 350,621.

No. 894,209. g

Patented. July 213, i908.- Renewed February 17, 1968. Serial No. 416, 38.-

tron.

This invention relates to im rovements in stiffening devices. for ersona wearing apparel, and hasifor its ect,

To rovide an effective stiifcnen'readily secure I ficient rigidity'to' cause the saidgarment to properly fit, yet fully resilient and capable of exu're' by the movement of the body.

-Th'e invention consists in the novel con-' struction hereinafter fully described and shown in the accompanyingdrawings forming apart of this specification, and in which,- Figure 1, is an enlarged plan vlew of a por-r tionof my stiffener. Fig. *2, is a transverse sectional View taken on line aa of Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 3, is a transverse sectional view taken on line bb of Fig. 1. Fig. 4, is a diagram- Inatic view illustrating the method of con;

struction."

' Similar characters refer to similar throughout the several views.

This stifiener is constructed from two conparts tinuous strands of wire, each formed into op-' positely disposed, substantial, circular loops or eyes on either side of the center of the device and so arranged that the loops of one whole ta -ng the form'of a flattened strip,

' wire are disposed between the loops of the other wire, but in such manner that the edges of each loop, contact with the edges of the strip having two series of complete eyes one next loo preceding'and following, and the presenting, substantially, a rectangular section.

In the diagrammatic view, the wire A, is

I indicatedby a full. line, and the wire B, by a broken line. This view shows the wire A,

passing outwardly, formin the loop 1, from' which it passes underitsef at. 2, under the wire B, at 3, to the loop 4, which overlaps a portion of the loo wire B, and'under ies a portion of the previously formed loop in the wire B, then passing under itself at 5, over the wire B, at 6,

v'other wire, and each 10051 is 'a'te forming loop 7, "and so continuing. Thus each of the loops formed by either wire have laterally between, them a loop formed by the artially supported by the loop imme y adjacent to le to agarment and possessing sufbeyond formed in theit on each side with which it is in directintimate tensional side contact. This inter-. weaving of the wires and their loop formation, provide for a far greater amount of ria single wire .of thecombined area of those used in its construction. The dispositionof flexed or bent in the direction of its width as in the direction of its thickness. The loops also offer a ready opportunity for connection, by

ment to which they may be applied.

In order to provide a means of securing the ends, and, at t e same time, present a smooth and regular surface, I provide the clip C, as indicated in Fig. 1..

This form of stidener provides an efiicient and durable substitute for whalebone, .possessing all of its advantages, besides that of far greater economy. .It is also referable to thin steel members, as used for li e urposes, as it allowsan equal amount of free wise as it does sidewise.

of any particular material in its construction, and although, evidently, the said material must possess the characteristic of resilience, strength and non-oxidation, andit may be that I shall prefer to make use of other than the round form'of' wire indicated and may ing from the general spirit ofthe invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I. claim as new'and desire to secure by Letters Patent is v 1. A stifiening device consisting of aflat along each edge, said strip belng formed of .two wire strands each directed back and forth fromv edge to ed e of the strip and coiled and crossed at the marginal regions thereof to constitute said eyes, with the crossing portions of'the eyes directed toward the center of the strip, each longitudinal series-of eyes being composed of eyesformed from both strands.

2. A stiffening device consisting of a flat strip having two series of complete eyes one along each edge, said strip being formed of two -wire strands each directed back. and

thereof to constitute said eyes, with the crossing portions ofthe eyes directed toward the center of the strip, in each series ofeyes sewing, or other similar means, to the gar-- 0m edge I do'not care to confine'myself .to the use i forth from' edge to "edge of'the strip and coiled and crossed at the marginal regions;

gidity in the article than could be obtained by the loops is such that it'may be as readily make minor modifications, without depart two wire strands extended diagonally in zigzag fashion from side to side er the strip and coiled and crossed to form said eyes, on each side of the strip the eyes of one strand being alternated with'the eyes of the other strand, and the two longitudinal series of eyes being spaced from each other by the central portion of the strip composed of the diagonal portions of the strands, the diagonal portions of one strand crossing the diagonal portions of the other strand;

4. A stiffening device consisting of alla't strip having two series of complete eyes one along each edge, said strip being formed of two wire strands each directed back and forth from edge to ed e of the strip and, coiled and crossed at the marginal regions thereof to constitute said eyes, with the crossing portions of the eyes directed toward the center of the strip, in each series of. eyes the eyes of one strand being alternated with and overlapping the eyes of the other strand. 5. A stiffening device consisting of a fiat stripnnade of a plurality of wire strands and having each of itsma'rginal regions formed of a series of complete eyes, the two series being spaced from each other, and lts central re- 'gion formed by diagonal interwoven scctions,

said eyes and diagonal sections. being all portions of said strands. v i

6. A stiffening device consisting of a fiat strip formed of two bent wire strands, each strand being directed diagonally across to one side of the strip, there coiled reversely to form a complete eye,'thence directed diagonally onward across to the other side of the strip, there reversely coiled to form another complete eye, thence directed diagonally onward across to the first-named side, where it is again reversely coiled, and so continuing, the two bent strands being so'associated that on each side of the strip the eyes of one strand alternate with those of the other and under' the diagonal portions of :the' other 1 strand.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto,v

signed my name to' this specification, in the presence of two subscribing-witnesses.-.

v WM.'W. JOHNSON.

Witnesses.

LUTHER A. LE'BERM N, -KATHERINE M. SHUSTER. 

